Pictured above: Behind the scenes of a content shoot featuring the arts & trails TRTD project. This content production is in partnership with Freehub Magazine. 

Through the Province's Stronger BC economic recovery plan (Targeted Regional Tourism Development Initiative - TRTDI) is funding the Art, Sculpture & Trail Initiative. This initiative developed partnerships between Northern BC Tourism Association, Western Canada Mountain Bike Tourism Association, the Nisga’a Village of Gitwinksihlkw, the City of Terrace, and mountain biking organizations for Terrace (TORCA) and Burns Lake (Ride Burns). Patrick Lucas, founder of the Indigenous Mountain Bike Program is the project advisor and the one who originally conceptualized this project. 

The partners are installing outdoor art pieces on low use/impact mountain bike trail networks to enhance the visitor experience through sharing stories or a connection with the land and to motivate and inspire the visitor to extend their visit and explore more of the community. 

Our content team recently visited the northwest to meet with and interview the talented artists (Leona Price and Kobe Antonie for Burns Lake, Kari Morgan for the Nisga'a Village of Gitwinkihlkw, and Steve Rogers for the City of Terrace). This behind the scenes content capture will document the process of the Art, Sculpture & Trail Initiative from concept to installation and will be used to develop a large-scale, multi-media project in partnership with Freehub Magazine. 

This initiative hopes to build upon successes and to continue to enhance the Ride North 16 experience to further establish the region as a unique mountain biking destination. 

Through the Province of BC's Targeted Regional Tourism Development Initiative Fund (TRTDI), Northern BC Tourism Association, Ride Valemount (VARDA) and other sponsors, were able to fund the construction of the Zen Garden Trail and two kiosks in the new Swift Creek staging area at Valemount Bike Park.

This project, adds more variety to the trail network and has become popular with new riders, hikers, runners along with the biking community. The trail encompasses nearly 200 meters of board walk and 9 bridges crossing a creek!

"The Zen Garden has become so much more than just an mountain biking trail. Many non-biking members of our community have visited the trail just to walk, sit, listen and relax in the beautiful area. Our community offers a huge thank you to Northern BC Tourism for supporting this great initiative." Curtis Pawliuk, General Manager, VARDA

The funding for this project is part of a larger allotment of funding to mountain bike clubs and associations throughout Northern BC, which is meant to elevate the mountain biking experience in the region through infrastructure, trail and signage upgrades at mountain bike trail networks throughout the region. Develop signage at multiple mountain biking locations that link the different trail networks together and create a more cohesive visitor experience.

These projects directly support actions in both the Northwest and Northeast Destination Development Plan by building on the provincial mountain biking sector work and the Northern BC Mountain Bike Strategy that have been completed to further develop mountain biking in areas of Northern BC that have the attributes that would make them competitive.